Notes from the Castle
by CuffedBunnies
Summary: This is a collection of (mostly) unrelated one-shots written from prompts I've received on tumblr.
1. Unexpected

**Summary:** Anonymous prompt. The second time around, Castle realizes Beckett's pregnant before she does.

**A/N: **Takes place about 3-4 years after Season Six.

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><p>Beckett stared at the computer screen, trying to make sense of the characters strung across it. She had already read it several times, but it just didn't click.<p>

And Castle was there, in his chair, playing a game on his iPhone, silently driving her nuts.

"You know," she put her hands on her desk and pushed her chair back, then faced him. If he would leave, she could probably get this done. "You should go home. I'll finish and be there in a few hours."

He looked surprised at her request. "But we've been leaving together for mon-"

"Don't you have writing to do? Maybe pick up Cosmo and take him to a movie or something?" she interrupted, then opened the drawer where she kept her bag of gummy bears."

"They're gone," he offered, "The gummy bears... You ate them about half an hour ago. And Alexis texted me earlier and asked to keep him overnight so she could take him to the zoo tomorrow. You were okay with it at the time... Are you feeling all right?"

Kate thought about it for a moment. She vaguely remembered him saying something, but she agreed just to makes him be quiet. But the gummy bears... there was no memory of that. "Did I really eat the whole bag?"

Castle nodded slowly and said, "Yeah, and you slapped my hand away when I tried to get one."

"Are you sure you're not making this up?" She reached for her coffee, and before she could get her hand on it, Castle swiped it away.

"WHAT. The hell. Castle?" She stood and was ready to take her husband out. "Give me the coffee!"

He also got to his feet, and immediately started backing away from her, his eyes wide, and a smile playing at his lips. "I would, but you really shouldn't have any more for a while."

For some reason, this made her insanely mad. She wanted to tear him limb-from-limb, and it had been years since she had honestly imagined doing so. In her most dangerous voice, she said, "If you don't put the mug in my hand in TWO seconds, I will shoot you."

"I tell you what," he was beaming now, just as he backed hard into the wall. "What if I give you a cup of hot herbal tea in about five minutes?"

She couldn't move. He really wasn't intimidated by her anymore, and he couldn't be reasoned with. She was going to shoot her husband.

"I promise," he said, suddenly serious and looking deeply into her eyes. "Five minutes. Hot tea. Because it's better for the two of you, right?"

"Wha.. huh?" The two of them? Kate caught the edge of the desk closest to her.

He was right, and she knew it. It would explain a lot of odd things that had been happening earlier in the week. The slight sick feeling in the mornings, sometimes all day, and especially the giant bowl of Cheerios covered in caramel sauce she devoured at 2am yesterday morning.

"You've been doing this for about three days straight... gone through at least seven bags of gummy bears. I kept replacing them because, well, you're not happy when you run out, and if you're not happy..." At the look she shot him, he moved on, "Anyway, why don't we pick up a test to make sure?"

She agreed, and Castle helped her gather her things. When she took his hand in hers, he seemed to relax.

"You okay, Castle?"

"I'm great," he answered, "because for a minute there, I honestly believed you were going to murder me."

"And I thought I was slipping," Kate teased, then pulled him into a kiss. She could feel his happiness, and it magnified her own.

"Come on, let's go."


	2. Can't Be Unseen 1

**Summary:** Anonymous prompt - the boys catch Caskett in an intimate moment

**A/N:** This one is slightly cracky, but I hope you enjoy the fun! :) And thanks for the awesome reviews!

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><p>"Hey, Javi," Ryan said, taking a seat at his desk. He checked his watch, seeing it was after eight. "Castle and Beckett already leave?"<p>

"I think so. They took off quick after talking by the whiteboard."

"Oh, doing that cute little thing they do?" he smiled, "that's so awesome. Jenny thinks they'll have a kid before the year's out. I think she's right."

"Dude." Espo gave him a skeptical look, "Do you agree with everything Jenny says?"

"What?" he asked, then got back to his feet. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee. You want one?"

"Sure," answered Javi, "I'll go with you."

Ryan continued as they walked through the empty bull pen, "You know, just because I find most of-"

"All, Bro, there is no 'most.'"

"MOST of what Jenny says true doesn't mean... Why am I having this conversation with you?" Ryan rolled his eyes and opened the door to the break room.

His partner did the same. "That's what I'm sayin'."

They both stopped.

"Did you hear that?" Espo looked around, trying to find the source of the sound.

He heard it then and whispered, "Sounds like it's coming from Interrogation."

The two walked quietly toward the room, then Javi pushed the door open.

"Son of a-!" He immediately pulled it shut and his face turned a bright shade of red when he faced Ryan.

"Oh... oh wow..." Ryan stammered, feeling his stomach lurch. "I-"

"DON'T say it, Bro," Javi commanded, grabbing him by the collar. "Just... let's get the hell out of here."

They skipped gathering their belongings and went straight to the elevator.

Just as the doors were closing, Ryan said, "I guess we found out that position is possible."


	3. Can't Be Unseen 2

**Summary:** Continuation of "the boys catch Caskett in an intimate moment" Espo wants to forget what he saw, but Ryan lets it slip to Caskett (and maybe Lanie) that he caught them

**A/N: **Thank you so much for all the awesome reviews!

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><p>Castle entered into the bull pen about forty-five minutes later than Beckett. He set a tray on her desk holding two coffees and a bear claw, just as he did each day. Just before he sat down on his chair, he waved at Ryan and Esposito.<p>

Ryan smiled waved back, happy to see him, even though it brought back the image he and Espo accidentally witnessed the evening before. His partner, however, let out some sort of strangled breath and stomped away to the break room.

The display caught Castle's attention, and Kevin felt his heart rate go up when the writer walked to him.

"Hey, Ryan," he said, "What's up with Espo?"

"I don't know," he said, then grabbed a water bottle and swallowed half of it down, trying to give himself time to come up with something to say.

"Is that, 'I don't know,' meaning you do know, and you don't want to say, or you really don't know?"

Javi came back and went out of his way to avoid Castle as he sat down, causing Ryan to choke on the water.

"You okay, 'Sito?" Castle asked.

The detective looked at the writer, a visible shiver going down his back as he said, "I'm fine, bro."

"You don't act-"

"I said, I'm fine. Now, go back over there and let a man do his work!"

Castle seemed taken aback, but shrugged it off and took his seat at Beckett's desk.

Before Ryan could say anything, Javi rubbed his palms into his eyes, nearly missing his seat as he sat down. He shuffled a bit before he finally regained his balance. "I need some serious brain bleach! I can't look at either of them without seeing... what we saw!"

"I know, Javi, trust me, I was there, but you really need to get a hold of yourself before you give it away that we walked in on them." He looked up and barely caught Beckett looking over her shoulder at them. "They already suspect something's up."

"Dudedon'tsaythat!"

Ryan nearly burst into laughter, "Man, you are really messed up over this." He flipped through the file, "There are a few of the neighbors that weren't home when we first canvassed the area around the crime scene. Let's go see if they're back."

His partner nodded and started for the elevator. Kevin followed part of the way, then realized he'd forgotten his jacket. "Meet you downstairs," he said, and turned back.

He went to his desk and pulled on his jacket as he passed by Beckett's desk. Castle asked again, "You sure you don't know what's up with him?"

Kevin thought for a moment, weighing his options. Kate was busy filling out a report, so he made eye contact with Castle, swallowed hard, then said, "I'll put it to you this way... we found out that _that_ position is, in fact, possible. And I think he's scarred for life."

The pen Kate was writing with fell to the floor and her back straightened. Castle's jaw dropped, and all Ryan could do was shrug his shoulders as he turned to leave and say, "Sorry, guys..."


	4. Girl Talk

**Summary:** This is a combination of two anonymous prompts - "Girl talk with Lanie and Becks" & "Girl talk: first night in/out with Lanie after Always"

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><p>Kate set the wine and two glasses on the coffee table and took a deep breath. Lanie would be over soon - for the first time in several weeks - and a lot had changed in her life.<p>

She wasn't sure how it would go, and it made her nervous. She and Castle had talked about it, and decided that they still wanted to keep the new level of their relationship secret for just a bit longer. Thing was, Lanie had already figured out Kate was seeing someone, so she would have to be careful of what she said.

There was a knock on her door. Kate checked the time on her phone, then set it on the coffee table. She swallowed her anticipation as she walked stepped over to greet her friend.

"Hey there," said Lanie, who gave her a quick hug as she walked inside, "It has been way too long, girl."

"I know," Kate agreed and followed her friend to the couches.

She took her usual seat, and found Lanie watching her with an expectant look. "So?"

"So... what?" she dead-panned, knowing it would irritate her.

Lanie huffed out a breath. "Come on, Beckett, spill. Tell me about the guy you're dating!"

"Oh, that," Kate popped the cork on the wine bottle and poured a generous amount in each glass. "He's kind of awesome."

Lanie took her glass, not looking amused at all. "I'm not playing whatever game you're trying to play, Kate. I want details! Come on, it's been over six weeks since we've had time to catch up."

"How are you and Javi?" she asked, really just to tease at this point.

"No - I am not getting off on another track so you can hide. Javi is fine, I am fine, now tell me about YOU and this mystery man!"

Kate almost laughed at her terminology. "This 'mystery' man's name is... Alexander." Yeah, that was a good name.

"How did you meet?"

"We just... sort of ran into each other at a bookstore," she answered, "It was kind of funny, really, he was leaving as I was coming in, and we hit the door at the same time..." Kate bit her lip and breathed in, holding back her amusement. This was going better than she figured. "We started talking, and it all 'clicked' after that." Boy, did they ever, she thought.

"And? You can't leave a girl hanging like that! What does the man look like?" Lanie seemed to hang on her every word.

"He's tall," she started, not sure where to go with all this without totally giving Castle away, but then, she couldn't stop it, either. He was everything. "He's got these amazing eyes, and he... he's... the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"Uh-huh," her friend took a sip of her wine. "Better than Castle?"

Kate had just brought her glass to her lips and nearly choked. "Castle?" she set the wine down and wondered what to say next. "Better? I don't understand. What about Castle?" she stalled.

"Come on, girl, you know he's been treating you like a queen for at least 3 years. He'd do anything for you."

"I know," she replied, "and Alex... is the same, maybe a little less annoying."

"Does he know?"

"Who? Castle?" Kate took a another drink of the wine.

"No, I mean Alex. Does he know about Castle following you? Is he okay with that?"

"Oh, that," she laughed a little, trying to think fast, but the wine was already seeping into her veins. "Alex is fine with our partnership."

Lanie watched her a time, seeming to look right through everything Kate had said. "And what about you? You seem crazy for this guy."

Kate set her glass back on the table and smiled. "I am crazy for him, Lanie. I've never been happier in my life. I can see a real future with him."

Her friend's eyes narrowed a little, then she smiled wide and said, "Well, I have to say I'm surprised it isn't Castle, but I'm glad you're happy."

Kate's phone buzzed, and the screen lit up with a picture of Castle she'd taken on their first morning together. She wasn't fast enough to grab it before Lanie saw.

"Kate Beckett, I'm going to let you answer the phone, but I'm not leaving until you've thoroughly explained that steaming-hot picture of Castle with the bedhead and post-sex smile."

The look on Lanie's face told her she was in for a long and thorough explanation, and there was no way she could escape.


	5. Maddie

**Anonymous Prompt:** Maddie receives the wedding invite and calls Beckett up

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><p>The day had been long, but fulfilling, with a closed case and the weekend off. When Kate got to the loft, Castle was writing and hadn't packed for their trip to the Hamptons. So even though she was exhausted, she began gathering their belongings.<p>

It wasn't long before her phone rang. She saw it was her friend Maddie and decided to put it on speaker.

"Hey Maddie, how are you?"

"Becks!" her friend sounded very excited, "I just got your wedding invitation! I'm so happy for you two! It's great to see you've finally come around and decided to work on those Castle babies! You know they'll be adorable, right?"

If Kate could fall through the floor and into oblivion, she would. - Of all things for Maddie to bring up - She threw down the clothes she was folding and turned the speaker off. "Yeah, I know," she answered quietly as she held the phone to her ear, "but you don't have to be so... loud about it."

"Oh, can he hear me?" Maddie asked, "Hi Rick!"

"NO, no, not anymore," stammered Kate, just as Castle walked into the bedroom. She could tell by the smile on his face that he heard.

"Hi Maddie,'" he said, loudly, as he came up behind Kate and wrapped his arms around her waist. It really would have felt comforting, if Maddie wasn't on the other end of the line. "Yes," Castle continued, "she finally convinced me to strap on the ol' ball and chain."

Kate wanted her gun. Immediately.

"Oh, isn't he great!?" her friend obviously heard him again and was overly amused at this situation, while Kate wanted to just... she didn't know what she wanted to do.

"You could say that," she dead-panned. Yeah, he was great. Just great.

Maddie laughed, "Well, anyway, I've got to get back to work, but I had to take a moment to call when I saw your invite. I'll see you at the wedding! Congratulations, Kate!"

"Thanks," she said, then set her phone down when the call ended.

She turned around, still in Castle's arms, and said, "You know how badly I want to shoot you right now?"

His smile burned her even more, and she was sure he could tell. She wanted to shoot him, kiss him all over, and melt into a puddle on the floor at the same time. "Probably about as badly as you did when we first met. I know that hasn't changed, since I enjoy driving you crazy so much."

Castle leaned toward Kate, touching his forehead to hers, and she closed her eyes as she relaxed into him. She opened her mouth to speak, but he started first.

"Besides," he added, "we've got all weekend to perfect our work on those adorable Castle babies. Simon did say we're having three, so we should get started."

Kate smacked him on the arm and went back to folding and packing clothes, ignoring how amused he was at the entire situation. She should just wait to tell him, but then, this really was the best time. "How do you know we haven't already?"

Castle stood, frozen in place and slack-jawed. "Wait-wha-?" He moved as if to sit on the edge of the bed and missed, laying out completely on the floor. "Are you-?"

"Yeah," she answered, smiling. "You heard me. Why do you think I actually ate that s'morelette this morning? Now, help me pack. The sooner we get to the Hamptons, the sooner we can... celebrate.

He stumbled as he tried to get up, and was on the floor again. "You ate two - oh my God I should have understood then - a Castle baby?"

Kate nodded and watched him stumble again as he tried to regain his footing. "You're catching on."

She had to admit, Castle looked so cute while he was flustered and giddy. After he managed to regain some control of himself, he turned toward her, smiling, with his eyes so warm, so full of love and happiness, and maybe a few tears.

"I'm gonna be a Daddy again," he whispered as he held her close and kissed her on the cheek. "This is so awesome!" he squeaked.

"Yeah, it really is," she agreed and melted into him, hearing the rhythm of his heartbeat when she laid her head against his chest, and quite possibly falling a little deeper in love with him.

Okay, maybe a lot.


	6. Grandparents

**Anonymous Prompt: **Martha and Jim talk about what their kids were like when they were kids while watching Castle and Beckett's children.

Future!fic, taking place about 3 or so years from now.

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><p>Martha sat down on the couch beside Jim, just after laying their six-month-old grandson, Monty, down for a nap.<p>

"You think he'll stay asleep this time?" he asked quietly.

"I certainly hope so," she answered. She knew he had to be as exhausted as she was, after wresting with the twins, Monty and Chloe, and little two-year-old Cosmo for the past three hours. "Richard was always difficult to go down for a nap, and I suppose his youngest has, unfortunately, taken after him."

Jim nodded, "Katie was a sleeper. In fact, even when she got older, around eight or nine years old, she'd go to bed on her own." He smiled as he thought back, "In fact, I recall one time, Johanna and I were in the den, reading. Katie came into the room, so serious, and told us she was tired and going to bed, and that we should also go to bed soon."

"I wish Richard had been so. I can remember many nights, going into his room in the early hours of the morning to turn out the flashlight that would still be on after he'd fallen asleep on whatever comic book or novel he was reading." She laughed and patted Jim's knee, "And it didn't matter what happened to the flashlight — he would have that one or another the next night!"

"However," Martha added with a flourish, "I can't really complain. All that reading did do the boy some good." She stood and turned toward the kitchen, "I'm going to make tea, would you like a cup, Jim?"

"That sounds nice," he said, also standing. "Let me help you."

As they walked into the kitchen she pointed him toward the cabinet when they kept their cups. "If you don't mind getting us a couple of cups from there, and we have several kinds of tea in the green container beside the coffee maker. Help yourself."

"All right," Jim replied, and went about, gathering the cups and filed through the assortment of tea. "What kind would you like, Martha?"

She set the full water kettle on the stove and turned the burner on. "I think I would like either peppermint or raspberry. Whichever you find first, dear."

He finished gathering the cups and tea bags, then walked to the other side of the bar while Martha waited on the water. "I don't know if the kids realize it, but I think they're going to have their hands full. Katie had her times of doing crazy things and I figure Rick did as well."

"I'm sure you know by now, he never stopped," Martha deadpanned. It was true, some of the things he bought still blew her mind. The life-sized Boba Fett, for one. "But yes, there was rarely a dull moment in the Rodgers' household when he was growing up. I remember the science experiment that ruined my oven and made our apartment building smell like burnt popcorn for weeks. I have no idea what the boy was thinking, but thank the Fates above he learned from that."

"What kind of experiment was it?"

"I don't know, but it took him the better part of two hours to clean the mess up." The kettle began to whistle, so she took it and poured the steaming water into their cups.

"Thanks," said Jim as he took his cup. "Katie was — and still can be — stubborn. We had a family reunion at our cabin one year, and her cousins, all boys and all older than her, were doing all sorts of daredevil antics. Next thing I know, we hear this sound, and she had climbed on top of the cabin and jumped off the roof!" He laughed and shook his head, saying, "It was a wonder she didn't get seriously injured, but she wasn't going to be out-done by the boys. And I guess it worked… they didn't exclude her from their trouble-making after that."

He laughed for a moment, then added, "Then, there was the time she got a Lego stuck up her nose…"

"If that's any indication, I believe you're right. Our kids—" Martha was interrupted by the door opening.

"Our kids, or 'our kids' meaning your grandchildren?" Richard asked as he and Katherine stepped inside and were taking off their soaking wet coats.

"Meaning the two of you," answered Jim. "You guys are back early. Everything all right?"

"We're fine, Dad," Kate stepped out of her heels and took Richard's coat and set both inside the closet. "It started raining, so we decided to come home."

Richard nodded while water dripped from his hair. "Raining? It's a monsoon out there! But seriously, what were you talking about?"

Martha smiled and told him, "Oh, nothing, really. Jim and I have decided by the events of your and Katherine's younger years, that our grandchildren are going to make your lives quite interesting."


	7. Babysitting Sarah Grace

**Fic Prompt from my bestie, lms2457**: Castle arranged for he and Kate to babysit Sarah Grace, but he ends up in a meeting, and Kate ends up flying solo with a baby for the very first time ever. (Yes, I am sadistically sending you a kid!fic prompt. But you love me anyway...)

**A/N:** To explain, I have four kids and kid!fic isn't exactly my favorite to write, since I write to *escape.* But I won't deny my kids are awesome. They're bigger Castle fans than I am at the moment. lol

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><p>"No, Castle, you have to call and tell them you can't go," said Kate, "The only experience I've had with babies is when we kept Benny-"<p>

"And you were a natural with him," he interrupted, more amused than he really should be, "I saw how you were with him when you thought I wasn't paying attention. Seriously, Kate, you'll be fine. Sarah Grace is asleep, and will likely sleep for at least another hour. When she wakes, you change her diaper, give her a bottle, and she'll probably be out again about thirty minutes after."

He took her hands and kissed the back of them, giving her all his best charm when he added, "I tried to get them to reschedule, but the next time open would interfere with next weekend, and we'd have to reschedule our trip to The Hamptons. Do you really want to do that?"

Kate sighed heavily and laid her forehead on his chest, pushing him back a bit with the action. "No," she said, her voice muffled, "but what if I break the baby?"

Castle laughed, and knew he was seriously risking his life when he did so, but it couldn't be held in. "You're not going to break the baby. Remember it was only me and Alexis for the first fourteen years of her life, and she's in one piece. If I can go that long with out causing serious damage, you can most definitely go a few hours."

"Good point," she finally admitted with a swat to his arm. "But most of Alexis' survival is due to her level of intelligence and common sense. Now go to this meeting so you can get back."

"Touche," he smiled as she started out the door, "I promise, you'll do fine. Just remember which end the diaper-"

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><p>Castle managed to shut the door just in time to block the baby rattle Kate threw at him. It was the closest thing that was safe to throw, and he really needed to be hit with something. There was no doubt in her mind that he knew about that meeting. It was some sort of plan for him to sway her toward having kids sooner instead of later. It had to be.<p>

Or maybe it was the universe working against her.

Kate shook her head, wishing she could rid her mind of the crazy Castle mentality that had been planted bit by bit over the past several years. Unfortunately, she knew she was in way too deep for that to go away any time soon.

She went and picked up the toy, then walked over to the kitchen sink to wash it. After she dried it off, she peeked in on Sarah Grace, who was fast asleep in the play pen they had set up in Castle's office. Kate breathed a sigh of relief and put a movie on in the living room, making sure to keep the volum down so she could hear when the baby decided to wake up.

Almost an hour later, there was a slight sound coming from his office, and she stepped in quietly to check in. The little girl was awake and was looking around the room with her wide blue eyes. Kate could tell, somehow, that she didn't recognize the room and was about to cry, so she carefully picked her up.

"It's okay, sweetheart," she said and settled Sarah in her arms as she rocked her back and forth . The poor thing didn't look convinced and pouted, looking very much like she may burst into tears at any moment. It was uncanny how much she resembled her father, and it made her laugh a little.

Kate tapped her lightly on the nose and chin, "Don't fuss, little one. Don't fuss!"

She was answered with a look of surprise, then a giggle. Maybe Castle was right, maybe she was making babysitting harder than it actually was...

Then, Sarah took a deep breath and let out the loudest, most horrific sound Kate had ever heard in her life. She managed to set the baby back into the play pen before she dropped the screaming child. It was such a shock to her system, it was a wonder she didn't start screaming as well.

Kate changed the baby's diaper, then checked her onesie to make sure nothing was too tight on her. When it all checked out, Sarah was still crying, but not as loud, so she grabbed a bottle and a bib. It was close enough to her next meal time, so it couldn't hurt to be a little early.

As soon as she put the bib on little Sarah, the crying stopped and was replaced by some serious lip-smacking. "You're a hungry little girl, huh?" Kate asked as she picked her up again. "I've got just the thing for you, little one."

They settled in the rocking chair Castle had bought while they had kept Benny. He had held onto it, refusing to put it in storage, for whatever reason was going through his head at the time, and Kate was sure it was because he had this kind of nefarious plan in mind, like today.

Kate rocked as she fed Sarah and was amazed when the little girl locked eyes with her. She almost expected the baby to pull the bottle out and start chatting up a storm. She could almost imagine doing this with another child, maybe a boy, with bright blue eyes, maybe even green or gray, with a shock of reddish brown hair that wouldn't lay down properly.

"I don't have a gift with words like your Uncle Rick," she said quietly, not wanting to break whatever it was about this moment. "Or I would tell you a story. He's really good with that sort of thing, you'll see."

Sarah Grace continued sucking on the bottle for a time, her eyes still wide, but Kate could see how she was fighting to not close them. She must be getting full and sleepy, so she snuggled little Sarah closer and slowed the pace of her rocking.

The next thing Kate knew, she was humming a tune to the baby, something familiar, a lullaby of sorts, and she wasn't sure where it was from. She stopped, then tried again, relaxed into the melody and let it go, hoping to see where it would lead.

She closed her eyes and memories flooded her mind, and it was so clear, and so surprising, how she hadn't thought of this in such a long time. It was a tune her grandmother used to hum to her when they would visit her at her country home in Upstate. And for whatever reason, it conjured images of a pink and purple streaked evening sky with the moon peeking through the branches of an ancient oak tree that covered most her grandparent's front yard.

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><p>"See? I knew you'd do just fine," Castle said softly, loving the sight of Kate holding Sarah Grace. He kind of hoped he wouldn't have to wait too long for this to be their reality.<p>

Kate's eyes popped open and he was surprised she didn't wake the baby. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long, but long enough," he answered, hoping to not kill the mood. "It was a beautiful song."

"Thanks." She smiled shyly as she slowly got up from the rocker. "I should lay her down. She should be resting good now."

When Kate returned, she stopped right in front of him, and he couldn't form the words that raced through his mind, he was so overcome with love and everything that was her.

Finally she rolled her eyes, "I told Sarah Grace how you were with words, about all the stories you'd tell her, and here you are..."

Castle pulled her to him and stopped her with a kiss. That was the best he could come up with and he could tell it was enough.


	8. Beckett to the Rescue

**Anonymous Prompt:** The boys are teasing Castle, and Beckett comes to the rescue.

**A/N:** Takes place about 5-6 years down the road. :)

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><p>Castle slowly woke up, noticing how his fingers felt... different. When he pulled them up to take a look, it was like he'd awakened in a time warp, into the years when Alexis was in her beauty princess obsession. This hadn't happened to him in years.<p>

And of all places for this to happen, it had to happen here, in the precinct.

An hour or so before, Jenny dropped Sarah Grace off with Kevin while she was going to an appointment. Which, normally, isn't a big deal. Then, as luck would have it, the boys had to go out to pick up a suspect, leaving Castle to babysit.

A really easy job. Really easy, so easy... that yeah, they took a nap.

And apparently, he fell asleep first, because now his nails are painted with "I'm Keeping My Maiden Name" purple nail polish. The only reason he knows the color is because Kate had him painting her toe nails with it a few weeks ago, and it started an interesting conversation that he won't be forgetting any time soon. He remembers that conversation with a smile, then pulls himself back to the present.

He needs to get the polish of his nails before the guys see it, and there is no chance of finding polish remover anywhere in the precinct, and he's not going to ask. The stuff could probably be scraped off, but that might do something weird to his nails, and he can't have that happening. So, he's stuck between a rock and a hard place.

In situations like this, he needs coffee.

Thankfully, Sarah Grace is still asleep, or she would surely be showing off the awesome job (he had to admit) she did to every living soul in the building.

Castle gets up slowly, trying not to wake up the girl as he leaves her on the couch. He stands and stretches, sounding like someone stomping on a box of rice crispies with all of the crackling and popping of his joints. Everything aches, and he knows it's because of the too-hard couch. (Next on his to-do list: replace the break room couch before someone ends up with a permanent injury from the thing.)

When he checks his watch, he sees the others should be back soon.

He walks over to the coffee machine and finds the thing empty, so Castle quickly sets the machine up and places the empty pot in. The door opens, and he almost drops it as he quickly shoves his hands into his pockets.

Of course they'd come in sooner than expected.

Ryan sees his little girl asleep on the couch and smiles, "Thanks for watching her, Castle. How did things go?"

"OH, fine," he bobs his head, trying to look calm and collected. "Everything was fine. She just got tired and fell asleep."

"Yo, Castle," 'Sito watches him with a look of suspicion, "Everything okay?"

"Fine. It's fine - I'm okay," he's stumbling, and there is no way to stop it. He really needs to shut up. "How are you?"

The two detectives exchange a look, then Ryan checks on Sarah, taking a small purple bottle out of her clenched hand.

He's trying not to laugh as he shows the bottle to his partner, then to him. "You sure? Because you're acting guilty. Wouldn't you say, Javi?"

"Yeah, I would say so," Esposito answers, then steps up to Castle.

He knows he has to be at least ten shades of red.

Espo turns toward Ryan, then looks at Castle and says, "Your coffee's ready."

"Oh, right, thanks," he says and reaches for the pot.

He reached for the pot. And now the boys are howling in laughter.

Kate walks in, looking more than confused, and Castle waves, even though he wishes he could just fall through the floor, disappear, melt, something.

"Hey, Beckett," Javi calls, "Your boy here has something to show you."

The look she gives them brings a sudden silence into the room, making Castle's ears buzz a little. He can tell she's trying not to laugh, obviously her years of training must be keeping her together. She rolls her eyes at him, then faces the boys.

"Seems like I recall finding you wrapped in *just* a feather boa once, Espo. You care to regale us on that story?" she asks, and he looks properly knocked down a notch or two.

"Um... no," he says, and mumbles some sort of apology as he leaves the room.

When she faces Ryan, she shakes her head, "And Kevin, you might want to check your nails as well." She leans in a little closer and says not-so-quietly, "I think you missed a spot."

"How-?" he checks his nails and notices what Kate was talking about, "Oh man."

"Daddy?" Sarah sits up slowly, thankfully interrupting the others, and rubbing her eyes, still looking very sleepy. "Can we go home now?"

"Yeah, honey, as soon as Mommy gets back." he said, then picks her up. Just as he's about to go out the door, he stops and says, "I'll see you guys later... Thanks, Castle... and sorry."

"It's okay, we had fun," he replies.

When the door shut again, he finds Kate gazing so lovingly at him. "What?" he asks.

"You're pretty amazing, Castle," she says, then kisses him on the cheek. "Even if you do fall asleep on the job."

"How did-?" He starts to ask, but then realizes, it really doesn't matter. Kate has this way of knowing things that he has learned he will never understand.

"So, what do you think?" he asks, showing off both hands and smiling, "Sarah did a pretty awesome job, right?"

"Yeah, she did," Kate answers, then takes his hand, and he's pretty sure she rolled her eyes again. "Purple looks really good you, Castle, but the nail polish needs to go."

"I know," he admits, "I don't pull purple nail polish off very well. And, um, thanks. Thanks for the save."

She smiles, "Anytime, partner."


	9. Who's the New Guy?

**Anonymous Prompt:** PreCaskett, Castle sees Beckett out with a man and gets jealous - only to later on find out (much to Beckett's amusement when she realizes he's jealous) that the man is her cousin/brother/whatever

Takes place sometime between _The Dead Pool_ and _Always_.

* * *

><p>Kate typed case notes into her computer, almost finished with the document, when she felt it. That familiar and annoying tingling at the back of her neck.<p>

"Castle," she said, "Do I have to pull my gun on you to make you stop staring?"

She turned, and he was still looking at her, but there was something different than the usual twinkle in his eyes. "I don't know, but you could definitely try it and see," he replied.

Castle looked away as she rolled her eyes. He really could be trying at times.

"So..." he started, then let the word hang for a time.

Kate saved the document and turned away from the computer. "So, what?" she asked, knowing he was probably about to ask some infuriating question in 'the spirit of research.'

"I saw you when I went to Borders last night..."

"You were stalking me?!" she asked, surprised, yet teasing him a little. Yeah, she was there, and she wasn't alone. Kate had a feeling where this conversation was about to lead.

He seemed surprised at her reaction. "Stalking? No! I wouldn't do that! I actually went there to find a replacement copy for one of my books. - Not one of my books - but another book... one that I own that I didn't write."

He was stumbling all over his words, and it almost made her laugh. "Okay, then tell me what you were doing there. You know I do actually have to work today and don't have time to decipher whatever it is you're trying to ask me." Kate wasn't really in a hurry to get back to the paperwork, but she wasn't going to spend all day dancing around the subject.

"All right," he said, then took a deep breath. "I saw you weren't alone..."

"No, I wasn't," she confirmed. Her writer was getting jealous again. "So?"

"So? So... does he have a name?"

It was killing him, dragging this out. "Yeah, he does." She leaned toward him a little, resting her chin in her hand. "Would you like to know his name, Castle?"

He shrugged, trying to look uninterested. "Only if you want-"

"Robert."

"Okay, so, this Robert... tell me about him. You two seemed pretty close."

"Oh yeah, Castle," she smiled and sighed, pulling him into the story she was about to spin for him. "He really is something. This is the second time we've gone out this week."

"Sec-" he almost squeaked, then cleared his throat and tried again. "Second time this week? Sounds serious."

"It could be," she answered, really enjoying how he was trying to hold back his jealousy. After the issue with Conrad, she found him cute like this. "In fact, we're going out again tonight."

"W-wow, that is something. A lot of time together in just a week."

"Yeah, it is. But, he's a lot of fun to be around, laughs a lot, and we get along really well."

Kate was pretty sure she could see a little bit of disappointment in his eyes. He still didn't get it, but maybe she was still figuring all this out as well. With a sigh, she decided she had tortured him enough for one day.

"His name is Robert Beckett. My cousin. It's the first time he's been back to the city in ten years, and he's staying with me for a few days."

"OH-oh! Okay, your cousin." He seemed genuinely relieved. "That's good to know."

"You're still an easy mark, Castle," she smiled and rolled her eyes, "I took him to the bookstore last night because he was interested in reading your books. He wouldn't stop talking about everything my Aunt Theresa told him about you shadowing me. So, I got him started on the Storm series."

"Really?" He was like a kid at Christmas. "That's awesome!"

"Yeah," she said, waving him off, trying to make it look like she was making light of it. "I had to shut him up somehow, and it seemed to work really well."

"Very funny, Beckett," he smirked, "But I have to ask, why didn't you go with Heat Wave?"

Kate gave him the look. That wasn't the most intelligent question he could have asked.

"Yeah, that would be kind of awkward," he admitted after a moment. "Besides, Derrick Storm was my first real series. It's a good starting point."

"Thank you," she said. Her phone chirped with a text message. She took a moment to read it, then looked back at Castle. "And it looks like you've got another fan. He wants to meet you."

His eyes sparkled a little more, like he had just received a present. "I bet I could fit him into my schedule. When would be a good time?"

"Well, he leaves out in the morning," she said, then took a second to calm her nerves. "How about dinner tonight at my place? Be there at seven?"

When he smiled this time, there was something a little different about it, and it made her feel warm all over. "That would be great."


	10. I Don't Dance

**Tumbler Prompt from trackandsoccerforlife: **Caskett dancing and singing to I Don't Dance by Lee Brice

* * *

><p>Kate and Castle were in the back seat of a limo on their way to The Old Haunt to celebrate.<p>

This was originally meant to be a welcome home party for Castle, but with a few words from Kate, and the willingness of Judge Markoway, they were newly married. Less than an hour ago, in a small and intimate ceremony at the loft, with only their family and closest friends. It was short and sweet, and more than they could have asked for, after all they had been through.

The cheer was deafening when they opened the doors and confetti was flying all through the air. Kate held Castle's hand and led him through the throng of bodies, all the way up to the area where the DJ was set up.

Kate started for the mic, but he reached it first, quietly shaking his head as he said, "Let me."

She shrugged and took his arm instead.

He held the mic for a moment, trying to think of the words for the announcement, but then he looked at her, and in his amazement, his adoration, for her, his mind blanked. When he turned back to the group of their family and friends, now complete, he noticed, seeing Alexis and the others had just entered. He smiled, feeling his cheeks stretch with the happiness he felt. He was sure he looked like a fool, but that really didn't matter right now, not with his wife by his side.

"We're married," he said, smiling, and suddenly deaf from the joyous reaction. It had crossed his mind to say more, but what else needed saying?

Kate pulled him to her and kissed him deeply, and he dropped the mic, the sound pinging and reverberating all through the building. There was a moment, where the crowd quietened, but then cheered again when they saw the two in their own bubble of happiness.

They finally parted, and Castle found the mic and handed it back to the DJ. "Play something slow," he said, as he took Kate's hand, "I want to dance with my wife."

He loved the smile she gave him, there really were no words for it. He breathed in the moment, and led her to the dance floor. Everyone cleared out of the way, leaving them to have this first dance alone.

In a few moments, the first notes played over the sound system and the words of the song filtered through. He gave a quick look to the DJ, who smiled back innocently. Of all the songs... it was almost laughable, but he let it go and leaned in to Kate, holding her close.

"I'll never settle down, that's what I always thought," Castle sung quietly into her ear, missing a few words when she slipped even closer to him. "Just ask anyone."

"I don't dance," Kate sang in return, her lips brushing against his ear just before she took his hands, "But here I am, spinning you 'round and 'round-"

The rest of the words were lost in surprise and laughter when she pulled back and spun them around, the only thing keeping them from falling was the grip of their entwined hands. Eventually, they came together again, and swayed to the rest of the song, completely oblivious to the world around them.

Castle couldn't remember having a better time in his life, and the best part of it was that this was only the beginning - the beginning of their life together.


	11. Banana

**A/N:** I had an "Ask Me Anything or Send Fic Prompts" post on Tumblr, to which writingonthecastlewalls "asked:"  
>Banana? (it is a perfectly legitimate question, okay?!)<p>

And this was my answer. :)

* * *

><p>Castle was pretty sure he'd finally got the drop on Kate. It was pretty hard to hide in the dark with a glowing laser tag vest on, after all.<p>

He saw her sneak into his office, just as he had slipped out of his bedroom. As he tip-toed past the kitchen, a plan formed in his mind - the perfect plan - so he grabbed the first piece of fruit out of the bowl on the table he could get his hand on.

Slowly and silently, he eased into his office, seeing that Kate had just opened the door to his bedroom. He threw the fruit, knocking books off the shelf beside her head.

She screamed, and he shot.

The look on Kate's face as her vest brightened and flashed was priceless. She found the object he'd thrown and rolled her eyes. "You threw a banana at me?"

"Yes," he answered, making a show of blowing the end of the laser, "Or as I would like to call it: a banana bomb."


	12. Hidden Treasure

**Tumbler Prompt from believewishdreams: **Beckett's Tattoo

**A/N:** Takes place in that shiny space between _Always_ and _After the Storm_

**A/N2: **I'm currently taking prompts. You can PM me here, or in my Tumblr ask (handcuffedplotbunnies)

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><p>They laid on his bed, sated, after their first two rounds of love making. Castle's mind was still in a whirl, absorbing it all, with Kate tucked warmly next to him. He squeezed lightly on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, his heart elated with the knowledge that she was here and in this with him.<p>

He shifted onto his side and kissed her again, the satin of her lips sliding so wonderfully against his, then he moved on to her jaw and neck. Slowly, so slowly, he worked his way down her body. This time, he wanted to commit every nuance to memory.

His fingers skimmed across the planes of her abdomen, continuing on their journey south. Just below her navel, and a bit to the left, he found a slight roughness to her skin. Castle opened his eyes. How he missed this before, he could only blame on the heat of the moment, but now... now, he saw it - her tattoo.

It was a lotus flower. So elegant in its simplicity, and it genuinely reflected everything he saw in Kate.

"You okay down there?" she asked.

Her voice took him by surprise. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, you stopped moving." He could hear the amusement in her words, "See something you like?"

Castle smiled, then leaned to place a kiss on the tattoo, lingering for just a second. "That is the understatement of the year," he answered, wanting to ask, but thought better of it. He continued his exploration of her, knowing the story of the tattoo could wait until later.


	13. Enough for Now

**Ficlet Prompt:** Credit to Jellou the Overlord (via takeiteasykate): Castle's honest response to "Sleep with whoever you want. The more the merrier." ...with Lanie & Alexis witnessing the awkward. - Hope this works! :)

**A/N:** Thanks so much for all the awesome reviews and to those who sent the prompts! :)

* * *

><p>Castle followed Beckett into the morgue to see what Lanie had come up with on their murder case, arguing about the CIA and Sofia most of the way. He couldn't understand why all this was such a big deal, then as they entered the morgue, it all started to make sense.<p>

"Sleep with whoever you want. The more, the merrier."

When Kate turned from him, he knew it was more than her frustration with the case talking. It was the worst and the best timing, and he honestly didn't think he would ever have a better chance.

"You know," he said, closing in on her and cutting Lanie off as he spoke, "I would, but the only person I want right now asked me to wait, so here I am. Waiting."

Kate's eyes widened, clearly understanding every word he said.

"You do remember that conversation, don't you?" he asked, "It shouldn't be too hard to recall, I mean, it wasn't like there was anything to distract you." Castle knew he was hitting hard, but Kate had been on his case since Sofia showed up.

She opened her mouth to reply when someone cleared their throat.

He immediately saw Alexis on the other side of the room. She looked like she had seen a ghost as Lanie interjected, "Hey, Alexis, I think we left some files in the other room, why don't I help you find them?"

"No, don't worry about that, Lanie," Beckett replied, her voice cutting through the awkward tension in the room. "Castle and I will return shortly."

She grabbed him by the arm as she attempted to walk by, but he wouldn't budge. "What the hell is this about, Castle?"

"What does it sound like?" he retorted, still not moving, "You've acted like this entire mess with the CIA is my fault since you found out that Sofia and I have a past. Yes, we've slept together, yes, I've based a character on her, but she's not you." He moved this time, taking a step closer to her, his voice quieter as he replied, "No one compares to you."

"Dad?" His daughter cut in, shocked, he guessed, at the turn in the conversation. He had almost forgotten they were still in the morgue, being watched.

Castle shrugged and pushed through the door. He had just spilled his heart in front of everyone, and he knew it wouldn't be a secret for long.

The blood was pounding so hard in his ears, he couldn't hear anything else. Then, Kate's hand was on his arm again, so he spun on her. "What do you want from me, Kate? I feel like I've done all I can, and it doesn't seem to be enough."

Her lips formed a straight line and her gaze bore right through him. "Castle, listen, I didn't mean-"

"Didn't mean what?" he asked, closing in and purposely invading her personal space. "Tell me what you want, Kate, tell me... tell me anything. I still haven't figured out what we are, and I'm running out of patience."

Kate's hand lifted up and carefully straightened the collar of his jacket, then she looked up at him. "I don't know how to answer your questions." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, "What I can tell you is that I'm right here, Castle. I'm still figuring this out, too, and I know it's been frustrating for you. It is for me, as well, this battle between knowing if I'm ready or if it's too soon."

"Ready for what, exactly?"

She rolled her eyes, and lightly smacked him on the shoulder. "What do you think? You just brought it up in there, in front of, well, everyone, by now."

Good. They're finally on the same page. "Maybe, we could take it a day at a time? Dinner and a movie, when this case is solved?"

Kate's face lit up and Rick couldn't recall ever seeing her so happy. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

He was on a roll here. "Maybe I could see your tattoo?"

Kate's features fell into her adorable almost-fed-up face. "That might be pushing it for a first date."

Oh, she was already calling it a first date. That was good. "All right, but you know I had to try," he smiled.

"I know," she answered as she reached up to caress his cheek, "It wouldn't seem right if you didn't try to get away with something crazy like that."

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her, when the doors to the morgue opened and Lanie stuck her head out, "Hey, guys, I do have other bodies to work on besides the one you're here about, so if you could wrap this up, it would be really nice." She started back in, then added, "Oh, and it's about time, you two lovebirds."

Kate laughed and her forehead bumped against Castle's chest for just a second. "We'll be right in, Lanie."

She took his hand in hers and squeezed before she let go and stepped toward the door. "You coming, Castle?"

His heart swelled as he answered, "Right behind you."


End file.
